Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 38016

Zip code 38016 in Cordova, Tennessee is home to four elementary schools serving 4,438 students in grades PK-8, all part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, which ranks in the bottom 3% of Tennessee districts. The four schools — Dexter School, Macon-Hall Elementary School, Riverwood Elementary School, and Chimneyrock Elementary School — vary widely in performance, with state rankings ranging from the 9th percentile to the 57th percentile. As a group, they outperform the district by roughly 7–10 percentage points in Math and ELA, but still trail state averages by 6–15 points.

Riverwood Elementary School is the clear standout: it is the only school with a 3-star rating, ranks in the 57th percentile statewide, and posts proficiency rates of 47.0% in Math and 49.6% in ELA — far above the district's 22.1% and 24.6%, and above state averages. Riverwood also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (17.0%). At the other end, Dexter School sits in the 9th percentile with a 0-star rating and proficiency rates roughly 30 points below Riverwood's, though Dexter's middle school Social Studies results are exceptional: 7th grade proficiency is 59.9%, nearly double the district rate of 32.2%. Chimneyrock Elementary School is the most concerning trend: it has fallen from the 48th percentile in 2023-24 to the 26th percentile in 2025-26, with the highest chronic absenteeism (26.7%). Macon-Hall Elementary School sits in between, performing above the district but below the state, with a modest rank decline to the 18th percentile.

Chronic absenteeism closely tracks achievement: the two schools with the highest absenteeism (Dexter and Chimneyrock) are the two lowest-performing, while Riverwood has the best attendance and best scores. Spending does not explain the gaps — Chimneyrock spends the most per student ($14,699) yet is declining, while Riverwood spends the least ($13,968). A shared concern across all four schools is 5th grade: average Math proficiency drops to 20.8% in 5th grade, 16.4 points below 4th grade, and Chimneyrock's 4th grade Math rate of 55.2% plummets to 17.0% in 5th grade. For parents, Riverwood is the strongest choice academically, while Dexter and Chimneyrock may need closer attention, particularly around attendance and 5th grade support.